1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to radio telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to a system and method of delivering collect calls in a radio telecommunications network.
2, Description of Related Art
In existing radio telecommunications networks, there is no method of placing collect calls from a calling mobile station to a called mobile station. To implement collect calls in a radio telecommunications network, the called party must be informed through manual operator intervention that the call is a collect call before he accepts the call.
Although there are no known prior art teachings of a solution to the aforementioned deficiency and shortcoming such as that disclosed herein, U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,671 to Partridge, III (Partridge); U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,581 to Hird et al. (Hird); U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,677 to Bash et al. (Bash); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,904 to Andruska et al. (Andruska) discuss subject matter that bears some relation to matters discussed herein. Partridge discloses a cellular telephone system in which a list of accepted callers is maintained. Calls from accepted callers are forwarded to the called mobile telephone. Otherwise, the caller is offered the option to pay for the call. If the caller accepts by pressing a designated key on his telephone, the call is connected.
Partridge therefore discloses a system which provides to a selected number of calling parties, the option of paying for a call to a mobile telephone. Partridge, however, does not teach or suggest a method of placing a collect call to a mobile station or a method of informing the called mobile station that the incoming call is a collect call.
Hird discloses a method and apparatus for performing an automated collect call in a wireline telephone system without the need for a live operator. The apparatus includes a microprocessor control system, a speech generator, and a speech memory. The calling party enters his name and the called party's number, and the apparatus calls the number and determines whether the called party accepts the charges for the collect call. If so, the call is connected.
Hird, however, is applicable only to wireline networks, and does not teach or suggest a method of placing a collect call to a mobile station or a method of informing the called mobile station that the incoming call is a collect call.
Bash discloses a method and apparatus for facilitating the making of collect calls in a wireline telephone network. If a caller making a collect call encounters a busy signal or no answer, he can store a voice mail message in a messaging system. The messaging system then periodically attempts to deliver the stored message. When the called party answers, the system asks if he will accept the charges for a collect voice message. If so, the stored message is played. Otherwise, the message is not delivered.
Bash, however, is applicable only to wireline networks, and does not teach or suggest a method of placing a collect call to a mobile station or a method of informing the called mobile station that the incoming call is a collect call.
Andruska discloses a method for identifying an originating network at a terminating network for transnetwork wireline calls. An originating network identifier (ONI) is transmitted in an initial address message (IAM), and is used in the terminating network to screen the call for special treatment such as denied termination for collect calls.
Andruska, however, is applicable only to wireline networks, and does not teach or suggest a method of placing a collect call to a mobile station or a method of informing the called mobile station that the incoming call is a collect call.
Review of each of the foregoing references reveals no disclosure or suggestion of a system or method such as that described and claimed herein.
In order to overcome the disadvantage of existing solutions, it would be advantageous to have a system and method of placing a collect call to a mobile station and informing the called mobile station that the incoming call is a collect call. The present invention provides such a system and method.